Papercrete - An
Amazing DIY MaterialPapercrete is a type of fibrous cement, made
by shredding paper (old newspspers...) into pulp in water and
adding Portland cement. The thick mix can then be poured into
molds and cast like concrete, creating blocks, panels and
innumerable other shapes. When cured and dried (above right),
papercrete is strong, lightweight, insulating and has many
properties which make it an ideal building material. More about
Papercrete here. A movie
on it here. See also the
FAQ.

How is Papercrete
Made?Papercrete and other fibrous cement materials
cannot be mixed like concrete in a rotating mixer, because huge
amounts of paper must be shredded into pulp. What is needed is
a large food processor with a spinning blade - a Papercrete
Mixer. More about making Papercrete here. Watch
a movie about making papercrete using a Tow-mixer
here.

Where Can I Find a
Papercrete Mixer?You probably can't, but you can make one
easily from inexpensive, locally-available parts in a
single day. To see how to make a Tow-mixer
and how to use it to make Papercrete, watch the movie. The DVD for sale on this web site takes
you step by step through the construction of a Papercrete
Tow-mixer in a narrated video. More about the DVD here.

What Can I Make With
Papercrete?The short answer is "whatever you can
imagine". The two most common building shapes are blocks and
panels, but, like concrete, Papercrete and similar materials
can be cast in countless shapes, even furniture, pots and
planters. They can also be 'puddled' to make freeform shapes
and structures.

Blocks can be stacked into walls, using
papercrete as mortar, to create closed shapes, like rooms of a
house. Panels can be attached to metal or wood structures to
cover them, then 'mortar' can be used as plaster to cover the
panels, making a hard, smooth finish. More about building with
Papercrete here. Photos
of shelters made from Papercrete and fibrous adobe are
here.